LimeWire Music Blog

Many are signed, but few are chosen. This past ten years has seen a wealth of talent come and go, but there is an elite class that not only rose to the occasion but became the occasions themselves in some instances. This group, with its diversity and reflection of the decade that was, shows the many faces of the game. Yup, some of your favorite rappers are on here and yup, some of your favorite rappers aren’t, but this is the definitive list of the top 10 MC’s of the decade. And if I’m wrong, Prove It !

10. 2Pac
Not even a whole lot to be said here, the resume speaks for itself. Not even alive in this decade, his influence has continued to permeate the annals of hip hop being possibly the most revered MC of the culture. How many MC’s of today still strive to attain his charisma, universal appeal and respect? But why is Pac on this list when he passed in 1996? Because his music has lived on, with several posthumous solo albums being released this decade and three of them (Until The End Of Time, Better Dayz, Loyal To The Game) going platinum or better. Just imagine what number he’d be on this list if he were still here.

9. Tech N9ne
Yeah, I said it. Whether spitting rapid fire verses or a slowed-down, more methodical flow, Tech can lyrically match up with the best of them. Probably the best MC that many have never heard of, Tech N9ne’s work ethic is unlike any other hip-hop artist of the decade. Spending most of his time touring, hitting places like Wyoming and small towns in states like Iowa and Nebraska as well as major metropolises, Tech Nina has developed a loyal legion of fans that support the Kansas City MC with every release. Having released nine full-length solo albums, a couple of compilation discs and having sold over one million copies this decade independently with no major label backing (check SoundScan), this underdog rapper has proved that David can get up with Goliath.

8. Cam’ron
“Do me groupies with Louie/Ruttie Tootie fresh and Fruity.” Cam inspired me to write that line right there. The Harlem staple and leader of the Diplomats definitely kept computers ‘putin this decade, whether it was helping to launch the careers of Dip Set brethren Jim Jones and Juelz Santana, beefing with schoolyard bully 50 Cent or going missing as well as announcing the end of the Dips. But what a run he had. Helping to usher in a new wave of independent crew mixtapes, Dipset flooded the streets with their brand of hip-hop in the early to mid-part of the decade with Killa Cam at the helm. His unmistakable vernacular, starting the whole hood wearing pink with his unique fashion sense and his platinum-selling Roc-A-Fella release Come Home With Me, along with Purple Haze and Killa Season albums helped to increase his legend, you’re fronting if Cam wasn’t that dude in the 2000’s.

7. Common/T.I.
Sharing billing on this one, these two gentlemen elevated both their careers and the overall hip hop scenes in their respective hometowns of Chicago and Atlanta, turning the spotlight on these towns that have made a heavy dent on hip-hop in the 2000’s. Common reached in his lyrical vault and unearthed the strong LP’s Like Water For Chocolate, BE and Finding Forever, helping to, along with Kanye West, develop a sound that helped to define the career of one of the most intellectual wordsmiths in the game. Upping the ante on so-called “conscious rap” Com Sense proved that you don’t have to conform to perform and rode his integrity all the way to the top. Tip, having told everyone he was the King of The South, proved it with stellar releases like Urban Legend, King and the deeply personal and diverse Paper Trail. Showing both his lyrical ability as well as carrying the banner for a bourgeoning hip-hop scene in the ATL that would eventually be the hotbed for the culture in the decade, T.I. became the Mouth of the South.

6. Andre 3000
One of the slickest wordsmiths in the game, period. One of a select few with mainstream success yet able to firmly keep his universal appeal intact, Dre is an MC’s MC. Having monster success trading verses with partner-in-rhyme Big Boi, he’s stacked up platinum plaques like IHOP does flapjacks with releases like the incredible Stankonia and Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. But it’s his ability to absolutely steal the spotlight on other people’s tracks that places him on this list. Think John Legend’s “Green Light,” Lloyd’s “You,” DJ Unk’s “Walk It Out” and his amazing wordplay on the UGK feat. Outkast smash “International Players’ Anthem.” While he’s chosen to do more thespian and crooner work than MC as of late, all it takes is 16 bars from this dude to make your favorite rapper wanna burn their rhymebook. “Never focus on the cash/ask Mel Gibson, Jesus Christ I’m ‘bout the passion.”

5. Lil Wayne
The decade saw D’wayne Carter literally grow from a boy to a man, but it also saw him transform from a mediocre member of a rap group to a giant amongst MC’s as a solo act. Possibly the most sought-after artist to do a feature from 2006-2008, Wayne was everywhere  and used his buzz to sell over one million copies of Tha Carter III in 2008. Having abused the mixtape scene and possibly given his best material away for free, Wayne proved to be the undisputed lyrical champion of the later part of the decade and has catapulted his own Young Money imprint into the limelight. Also discovering and grooming the person who is likely to be on the top of this list in ten years, Drake, Weezy F. Baby put on for a storm-riddled New Orleans and made a mark that not even the waters of Katrina could wash away.

4. 50 Cent
Get Rich Or Die Tryin, the incredibly raw and insanely entertaining debut from 50 has only set the stage for his dominance in the decade. A classic by many standards, the album blindsided many and introduced the mainstream to its next household name. Just ask Martha Stewart. Along with The Massacre, Curtis and Before I Self Destruct, Fif has churned out some of the highest numbers in hip-hop, sales wise and profits alike. Scoring his own sneaker, Vitamin Water, record label, cologne and a gang of other shit, one almost forgets that all of this was built from an incredible buzz and a wealth of material generated and distributed on the mixtape circuit in the early part of the 2000’s. His pre-mainstream material is hip hop in its most raw, reminiscent of a young Mike Tyson if he ever held a mic. With aggressive, straight forward content, he ended some careers and took on half of hip-hop without a scratch on him.

3. Jay-Z
The King of New York. Having put out over ten full-length projects, the Jigga man has stayed busy while you other cats have been dosing. He took on Nas and created the greatest battle of the decade. He retired and made the game beg for his return. He survived the fall of Roc-A-Fella, bought a piece of the New Jersey Nets, married Ms. Bootylicious, got his exec on as President of Def Jam and still managed to make some dope ass music. With the classic Blueprint, as well as several other superb releases like The Black Album, Blueprint 3 and the mash-up album with Linkin Park, Collision Course, Shawn Carter did more before 9 a.m. than most rappers do all day. Getting better with age while most become relics and shells of their former verses, Jay has turned the game on his ear and made music that has propelled him into a superstar in this decade.

2. Eminem
Possibly the most talented pure lyricist ever, you hate to love him but who does it better than him? With The Marshall Mathers LP, The Eminem Show, Encore and Relapse, Em has created more hip hop quotables and classic lines than anyone of the decade. His ability to paint the most vivid of lyrical pictures and verbal dexterity with songs like the bone chilling “Stan”, the intense “Cleaning Out My Closet”, the venting of “The Way I Am” and the just flat out dope “Lose Yourself” display a versatility and range that has yet to be surpassed. One that truly pours his heart and emotion into his work, Eminen has turned pain, anger, disappointment and amazing talent into a stellar body of work that will bump way past the 2000’s.

1. Kanye West
Hands down the most controversial, biggest risk taker, biggest game changer and most awkwardly perfect fit for hip-hop in a long time. Though your opinion of his personality may vary, you can not front on the way he has single-handedly changed the face of hip-hop. Let’s see, released four multi-platinum albums, sold almost one million copies in the first week of Graduation trampling rival 50 Cent in ‘07,  re-introduced the soul samples in his envelope-pushing production for various artists, made a gospel song (“Jesus Walks”) that bumped in the club, rapped a hit record with his jaw wired shut after a car accident (“Through The Wire”), collabed with Jay-Z, Cold Play, Daft Punk, Beyonce, Pharrell, Rihanna, Lil Wayne and has progressively gotten better with each release. The 2000’s would have been both boring and wack without him. Word to Taylor Swift.